GarrettVogel’06

I grew up listening to Elvis Duran and now I’m living the dream of getting to work for an amazing show.

The Proof Is In Our People

Why Garrett Chose Rider

“Rider is close to two of the biggest cities in the world with the most to offer you,” says Garrett, who secured his dream internship at New York City’s hit music station, Z100, in his freshman year. “At Rider, you can get a great education — and great experience.”

In his senior year, Garrett was offered an on-air job with one of the country’s most popular talk shows, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. His professors and advisors at Rider helped him build a schedule that allowed him to start his new job and finish his degree on time.

Rider's Impact on Garrett's Success

Garrett credits his professors for “making me who I am today,” giving him the advice and feedback he needed to start his career. His coursework and relationships with his professors helped set him up with his first job. “My professors were extremely helpful. They helped me produce my best work – so much so that I felt really prepared when I started working in radio.”

By working closely with his professors in his communication and broadcasting courses, he learned what it would take to succeed in the challenging environment of radio production. That advice would set him on his path towards success.

Double Career Mentors

Dr. Shawn Kildea and Dr. Barry Janes were particularly important to Garrett’s career development. “Dr. Kildea’s the kind of teacher you only hear about in movies: he was friendly but drove his points home. He helped me become a better student by teaching me how my project would look or sound when it was done,” he says.

“And Dr. Janes cared about what I wanted to do in life. He encouraged me to think about my career — 10, 20 years ahead. He helped me get started by teaching me how to think ahead.”

Continued Success

“I sometimes can’t believe they pay me to come to work every day,” says Garrett. At Z100, he has the chance to interview Hollywood celebrities, attend major gala events and work on a show that is broadcast to over 75 media markets daily. But he’s most famous for his phone taps: “I crank call people for a living.”

Garrett says Rider gave him the education he needed to launch his career. “Rider is a great stepping stone that can turn into a gateway for your dreams. The support you get from the faculty, the opportunities to join clubs, fraternities or sororities – friends can be everywhere – and someone is always there to answer your questions.”